1. < Chronic Pain

What was your experience with a pain pump?

Posted by twa1965 @twa1965, Feb 16, 2022

Who on the platform has a Pain Pump? What side effects did you have, if any? How much did it reduce your pain? What was the recovery time for surgery?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | May 21 9:44am
In reply to @heyjoe415 "I'm no Dr, but it seems very unlikely that the hydromorphone (aka Dilaudid) would cause pain...." + (show)
@heyjoe415

I'm no Dr, but it seems very unlikely that the hydromorphone (aka Dilaudid) would cause pain. It seems more likely that you've developed a tolerance to it and that it's not offset with higher doses.

Dialaudid is a powerful drug. This drug is usually used long-term to treat pain associated with cancer.

I do hope you can find some relief. These opiates are so tricky - very effective (usually) at dulling pain but also very addictive - requiring higher and higher doses to achieve the same effect.

All the best to you and I hope you find an answer. Joe

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Thanks. Supposedly, the drug is supposed to stay within the intrathecal space and not enteer the general circulatory system like oral opiates. Therefore, it is not supposed to become addictive,

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sandykgraham | @sandykgraham | May 26 10:33am
In reply to @jthomas458 "She might have better results with another medication. Not sure if the Pain doctor or Medtronics..." + (show)
@jthomas458

She might have better results with another medication. Not sure if the Pain doctor or Medtronics rep has suggested trying different medications in the pump.

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Ive had a pain pump for 5 years. The drugs in my pump are Fentynal and hydromorphine plus 2 other nonaddictive drugs. My problem is pain in my right buttock so i cannot sit. Only in the last 8 months has my pain moved into my groin area. I am now bedridden in constant pain. My pump doctor will not increase my meds because he is afraid i will die and he will go to jail. My pain is an 8 on a good day. Life has lost its meaning.

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2 replies
heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | May 26 11:35am
In reply to @sandykgraham "Ive had a pain pump for 5 years. The drugs in my pump are Fentynal and..." + (show)
@sandykgraham

Ive had a pain pump for 5 years. The drugs in my pump are Fentynal and hydromorphine plus 2 other nonaddictive drugs. My problem is pain in my right buttock so i cannot sit. Only in the last 8 months has my pain moved into my groin area. I am now bedridden in constant pain. My pump doctor will not increase my meds because he is afraid i will die and he will go to jail. My pain is an 8 on a good day. Life has lost its meaning.

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This is a very sad situation. I imagine that you have had your pump output adjusted upward a number of times. Did you ever receive any pain relief from your pump? I am in a similar situation. I had my pain pump implanted just over a year ago. It has never given me any pain relief. Even after being adjusted upwards more times than I can remember. I have buttock pain from a fall eight years ago. No treatment, including spinal cord stimulator and pain pump, have reduced that pain or the feeling of sitting on hockey pucks. No one can explain it.
Please don't give up. Have you had an MRI? That should provide some insight as to what is causing your pain.

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1 reply
sandykgraham | @sandykgraham | May 27 12:06pm

Ive had many MRIs over the years but they have nearly always been of my back, not my right buttock. The doctors always think it is referred pain from my spine. After 2 surgeries that didnt help, i basically gave up. I sit less and less and depended on my pain pump to make life livable. Now the pain has caught up with me.

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sandykgraham | @sandykgraham | May 30 5:54pm
In reply to @heisenberg34 "This is a very sad situation. I imagine that you have had your pump output adjusted..." + (show)
@heisenberg34

This is a very sad situation. I imagine that you have had your pump output adjusted upward a number of times. Did you ever receive any pain relief from your pump? I am in a similar situation. I had my pain pump implanted just over a year ago. It has never given me any pain relief. Even after being adjusted upwards more times than I can remember. I have buttock pain from a fall eight years ago. No treatment, including spinal cord stimulator and pain pump, have reduced that pain or the feeling of sitting on hockey pucks. No one can explain it.
Please don't give up. Have you had an MRI? That should provide some insight as to what is causing your pain.

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Your situation is just like mine. I have reached the point where my doctor will not go up on the pump any more 😒. He is afraid it will kill me and he will go to jail. I understand but what can I do now?

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spcentro | @spcentro | Jun 3 6:17am
In reply to @sandykgraham "Ive had a pain pump for 5 years. The drugs in my pump are Fentynal and..." + (show)
@sandykgraham

Ive had a pain pump for 5 years. The drugs in my pump are Fentynal and hydromorphine plus 2 other nonaddictive drugs. My problem is pain in my right buttock so i cannot sit. Only in the last 8 months has my pain moved into my groin area. I am now bedridden in constant pain. My pump doctor will not increase my meds because he is afraid i will die and he will go to jail. My pain is an 8 on a good day. Life has lost its meaning.

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My family member had a pump for 10 years…kept pain at a 6 most days…then developed a granuloma that attached to his spinal cord. The pain was unreal and now we have to decrease pump. Be aware of any changes in bowel or urinary functions..increased pain in stomach/ abdominal areas or other areas….weak, heavy legs. Granuloma from these pumps are rare but can happen especially at higher levels. The one thing that helped my family member and got him off his oral pain meds was cannabis. It is a game changer when it comes to pain relief. I hope you can find the relief you’re looking for.

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